Georgia

Former Georgia national rugby team captain Merab Sharikadze has been banned from participating in sports competitions for 11 years for involvement in a scheme designed to evade doping tests

Traffic is temporarily banned at km 110 of the Kutaisi–Alpana–Mamisoni Pass road due to a rockfall near the entrance to Oni; local authorities and emergency services are on site and taking appropriate measures

Celebrations of 9 April, Day of National Unity, turned into explosive political tension between protesters and government officials notwithstanding the designation that commemorates the protests of 9 April 1989 that led to the asset of modern Georgia

Four Turkish companies and a municipal firm from China bid for the tender for the construction of a new 7.5-kilometer tram line and depot in Tbilisi; with an estimated cost €134 million, it's a key project in the capital’s public transport development

Georgian Orthodox Church leader Ilia II died at 93, after serving nearly five decades in one of the country's most powerful institutions; funeral will take place on 22 March and Patriarch Ilia will be buried in Sioni Cathedral in Tbilisi as per his wish

Tenders for Alazani riverbank reinforcement worth €2,9 million will protect the river, key to local agriculture and livelihoods; its shifting banks pose a threat to farmland, infrastructure, and national security as it defines the border with Azerbaijan

Ilia State University announced admission quotas reduced to 300 students for the 2026-27 academic year, a destabilizing drop from 3.828 admissions in 2025; students and staff protested admission restrictions rallying outside the Ministry of Education

Invasive surveillance technology has been introduced against pro-democracy protesters: capable of recognizing a person whose photo is uploaded to the system, they give police means to fine for obstructing streets; fines exceed the average salary

State Security Service SSSG said it has launched an investigation into “sabotage” and “unauthorized penetration of a government computer system” after media outlets found classified documents on an official government website

Georgian citizens who remain abroad for over six months will benefit from the Universal Healthcare Program at the same conditions they were previously entitled to and will receive healthcare services without any changes, an official clarification reads

Georgian Dream officials marked the completion of a 14-year railway modernization project, one of the largest investments in the transport sector, securing higher cargo capacity, shorter transit times, Tbilisi–Batumi travel time reduced by 30 minutes

Tbilisi has inaugurated its Christmas season illuminating the city’s central Christmas tree in First Republic Square; the festive program included the opening of the Christmas Village, lighting in the capital, a performance featuring acrobatics and dance